Hashish Hits is a selection of tracks from Sydney’s dance music underground, recorded between 1998 and 2004, by producer / MC Ali Omar. Taking its title from the name of Omar’s fiercely independent label, the collection cherry-picks 8 cuts.

The opener, Hashish, has someone hypnotically intoning the title over and over, above kinda cold wave electro. Bolstered by a sampled, filtered break, sequences spin backwards, the B-line grumbles and then the bleeps come in. Poor Man Beggar Man Thief is also a mid-tempo-ed bleep & bass beast.

Moroccan / Master Musicians Of Joujouka reeds blast the big, seismic digidub subs of the Last Straw. Ritual percussion rattling inside this echoed cavernous creation. New Stone Groove showers cascades of fractured keys down on a riddim part skank, part funky strut. On Release matches smoky saxophone with a breathless vocal – care of Gina Mitchell – and slow, sultry, dubby Acid Jazz-esque go-go. Suicide Bomber is suitably dark. Constructed from colliding, crashing, collapsing industrial beats and tabla licks. 

The closing couple of numbers, Roll Up and For Love’s Sake, feature reggae vocals. Both are much more mediative than their predecessors. The former recalling Rhythm & Sound-inspired artists, such as Babe Roots. The latter, almost ambient and awash with sighing synth strings.

Ali Omar’s Hashish Hits can be ordered directly from Efficient Space.